The black dress
by foolsanddreamer
Summary: Mrs Williams is the housekeeper of Downton Abbey and introduces the new head housemaid to the upcoming new butler. Set somewhere in 1890s ... AU ...


THE BLACK DRESS

"That was the servants entry bell, Mr Carson, the servants entry!"

Charles Carson crossed the hallway towards the door, passing Mr Beet's open door.

"I am on my way, Mr Beet, already on my way," Charles answered waving his hand to make sure the old butler of Downton Abbey would see him.

"I just want to make sure that you are up on your feet. You'll get my comfortable seat soon enough, young man. Until then, get along!"

Charles gave up the idea to discuss Mr Beet's teasing, instead he grabbed the doorhandle and turned it.

"Two weeks, Mr Beet, two weeks. And I will send someone along," he mouthed silently, looking down the empty hallway.

Then he opened the door, turned around quickly and his tall and solid figure filled the doorframe. Outside stood a tiny person, a small case in her gloved hand, her wintercoat wrapped tightly around her petit figure. Oversized shawl around her neck. Black hair and on her head and woolen cap. Deep blue eyes starring at him.

After looking up and down at her he offered her a booming, "Yes?"

"I'm Elsie Hughes. Mrs Williams is expecting me.'

"Mrs Williams?" Charles asked raising an eyebrow.

'Yes. Mrs Williams. The housekeeper." Looking at his livery she added with a grin, "I honestly thought you might know her."

Elsie couldn't believe that she was that bold towards a complete stranger. A stranger in the house where she was supposed to work as head housemaid. She noticed that the man wouldn't take his eyes from her. So she decided to take a few more risks.

"If you don't mind I'd like to come in. It's freezing out here and I've been up on my feet for quite some time."

Charles came back to reality and invited her in,

"Of course. I will show you to Mrs Williams room."

"That's very kind, Mr...?"

"Carson. Charles Carson. Underbutler to his Lordship, the Earl of Grantham."

Elsie waited for a moment until Charles had closed the door and said, "Very nice to meet you, Mr Carson."

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Hughes,"Charles mumbled and Elsie smiled again. It was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Not even Alice's lovely face could have looked so beautiful and gleaming at the same time. The eyes full of sparkles... Charles had the feeling that someone special had just entered the house... and his life.

At that moment the door to Mrs Williams room opened and an old, white haired lady in a long, black dress came into the hallway.

"Ah, Mrs Williams," Charles adressed her immediately, "This is Miss Elli Hughes. She said you were expecting her."

"Elsie Hughes," Elsie corrected him and stepped forward towards Mrs Williams. Turning to her, she said, "My name is Elsie Hughes. I am here for..."

The housekeeper noticed that Charles felt uncomfortable being corrected by an unknown housemaid, shortly before his promotion as Butler of Downton Abbey. Not knowing that Charles was more upset with himself, that he had used the wrong name. Could she ever forget his mistake, on their first meeting?

"Of course Miss Hughes ... Elsie..." Mrs Williams interfered, "I know what you are here for. I was the one that invited you. You are a bit early though." Mrs Williams had made her point clear and Elsie understood at once that she might have appeared a bit too forward. Ashamed she looked down.

"I am sorry, Ma'am. I always like to be a bit ahead of time. It gives me the chance to change plans if unexpected things occur." She raised her head and smiled again at Charles.

Sarah Williams couldn't hold back and had a warm, but also captivating smile on her face. Facing Elsie she said, "It's always good to have a plan. Come into my room. I will tell you all you need to know and then one of the girls will show you where to put your things." Looking at Carson she added, 'We won't keep you busy any longer Mr Carson. You have a lot to do."

She turned towards Elsie briefly before looking back at Charles, "Mr Beet, our butler, is going to retire in about two weeks and Mr Carson is to take over for him. A new wind of change blowing through the historic halls of Downton Abbey, right, Mr Carson?"

Charles shook his head, "I am not sure that this would be nessecary, Mrs Williams. Why should things be changed when they work out so fine. Trained by Mr Beet I feel comfortable to perform my duties in a distinguished style. To serve the family in the best way I can."

"Well, what else would you do?" Mrs Williams threw at him turned around and left with Elsie into her room.

After a few days Elsie Hughes had already developed a routine in her duties. Kind and friendly to the other housemaids, she made friends easily. Especially when the staff were meeting for dinner she had the brightest smiling shine on her face as she sat down at the table. She was the first to rise when Mr Beet or Mrs Williams entered the room and she found her place with the staff soon.

Charles Carson tried hard not to watch her from his place at the table all the time. He was fascinated by this young woman and the energy she had brought to the house. Soon he would be Butler and it wasn't suitable for a butler to ask a housemaid out and certainly not talking about courting her. He would have to make up his mind soon. What if she'd deny him? Would he risk his position for that? Deep inside he knew the desicion was already made.

The day of his promotion was nothing special. Instead of Mr Beet serving the family Charles watched over his Lordship's breakfast and brought the newspapers. Charles had been a common figure in the house for quite some time. He had been there when the old Earl had died and his young son took over together with his American wife. He was also there when their first daughter was born, Mary. The two had a instinctive affection for one another. And it wasn't changed when a sister, Edith, was born. Mary was his favorite, but he knew that this was a fact he was damned to keep secret.

Instead of opening the doors and carrying the bags Carson was now here to give orders and to oversee and organize everything. And he did well.

Mrs Williams had found a favorite of her own in Elsie Hughes. Soon she recognized the friendly, but ambitioned behavior she had brought with her. She never had to doublecheck her, never had to question her. When Mr Beet had left the house Mrs Williams had started to include Elsie into preparations and decisions about the household. Pretending not to feel well she had let her lead the duties of the day, sure that everything would be well done at the end of the day. And she wasn't proved wrong.

One morning Mrs Williams had asked her to come to her sittingroom. The family was in London for three days and most of the cleaning was already done.

When Elsie entered the room she expected to go through some rotas with Mrs Williams, but instead she was asked to have a half day out.

"Yes. You did hear me right. I am asking you to get to Ripon and fetch a package for me," Mrs Williams said.

"Mrs Williams. I am not sure that Mr Carson would like to see me spending a spontaneous half day going into Ripon."

"You'll leave Mr Carson to me girl. When you are at the shop I told you about, you will ask for Miss Evans. She knows what to do. And when you are back, you come straight to see me. Is this clear?"

Elsie Hughes agreed and about an hour later she had her lovely daytime outfit on and was on the bus to Ripon.

In the shop she asked for Miss Evans - as she'd been told. A bit surprised, when Miss Evans picked something from a hanger and asked her to meet her in the fitting room.

Back at Downton she went to see Mrs Williams directly, only to be sent to her room, to stow away the package she had brought safely.

"We will talk about it later, Elsie," Mrs Williams told her. Elsie got changed again and started her daily duties joining the other maids.

It was the first warm day of the spring season when Bill, the young hallboy rushed into Mr Carson's pantry calling, "Mr Carson ... you need to call for the doctor! It's Mrs Williams! she collapsed in her sittingroom."

Charles sent the hallboy directly to get the doctor. Dr Richard Clarckson had just started at the new hospital and had taken over for Dr Wallis - the family's longtime doctor. Charles himself stormed into Mrs Williams room only to find her gasping for air in her chair. Elsie was by her side.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I have no idea. I came to ask for some linen and found her this way. Maybe we should open the window for some fresh air."

Charles did so directly, watching the women fundling at the high neck of Mrs Williams dress to open the top buttons, Charles felt it would not be suitable for him as a man to stay longer and he excused himself - he would go to inform his lordship about the call for the doctor and about Mrs Williams' status.

When he came back Dr Clarkson was already on his way out already.

"What is the matter, Doctor. I hope nothing too serious?" he asked.

Dr Clarkson looked at him first and then to the door, "She's going to explain it to you. Give her some time. Miss Hughes is in there helping her to fresh up a bit. She will be much better soon." Then he left.

In the room Elsie put a wet, cold cloth on Sarah Williams' forehead.

"Thank you," Mrs Williams mouthed, weak as she still felt. "This is all a bit ahead of time, Elsie."

Elsie nodded.

"But that gives us the time for a plan."

Elsie smiled at her, "Your plan is already made, Mrs Williams. I have no doubt about that."

Mrs Williams smiled at her, too, "You know me well by now."

Both women looked at each other and were silent for a while.

"Why don't you go and get those two chatty and babbling cooks into my room. And tell them to bring me some water," Mrs Williams said, some of her previous energy returning.

When Elsie turned around to get to the kitchen Sarah Williams stopped her, grappling her arm, "And you get to your room. It's time to get changed. But before..."

She hailed her to come closer once more and put something into her hand.

A few minutes after Elsie had left Charles entered the housekeepers sittingroom. She was sitting in her chair, her fist on her chest, tears in her eyes. In front of her the cook and her assistant with low heads, wet eyes.

When Mrs Williams noticed Charles her face turned sublimed again, "Mr Carson, there you are. I thought you had already given up on me" she teased him. "Mrs Lewis, would you please get us some tea?" she asked the cook.

"And by the way, Janet..."

The cook was surprised to hear the housekeeper using her Christian name . Although they knew each other for many , many years they always referred to each other as Mrs Williams and Mrs Lewis.

"This little redhead there," she pointed at the assistant, "she's loud, cheeky... and a bigmouth."

Beryl Patmore gasped for air.

"I know I don't have the right to tell you what to do, but I have never seen a more talented bigmouth cook as her", she said and gave Mrs Lewis a nod and smiled at the assistent while they left the room.

Charles Carson had no idea what was going on. And his face expressed exactly that. When Mrs Williams noticed, she pointed to the chair opposite her, "Have a seat, Mrs Carson. We need to talk."

Charles sat down and waited for her to continue.

"I haven't been quiet honest with you in the last few months. And also not with Mr Beet."

Charles leant back into the chair.

"When Mr Beet told me about his plans to retire I had no chance to tell him about my plans anymore... what I had decided to do ... or what they made me to do."

Charles was at the edge of his seat now. His hands folded in his lab.

"Almost two years ago I had my annual checkup with Dr Wallis," she hesitated for a moment and continued. "He told me that though my intention to be housekeeper at Downton is still strong... my heart was too weak to do so. He recommended to retire as soon as possible."

Charles raised his eyebrows, "But then Mr Beet came up with his plans of retirement and my promotion."

"Exactly. An impossible thing to believe that Downton could loose both heads of staff at the same time. So I decided to ignore Dr Wallis recommendation and went on." Mrs Williams locked with Carsons eyes, "Until I had my next heart attack"

Charles' eyes flew open. He had no idea when this had happened.

"You remember these three days with my sister last year..." she shook her head. "Hospital - don't ask! After that I had to promise to find a replacement for me. And since I didn't want to give all my ideas away, I started to search for a new head housemaid."

The room was completely silent when it knocked on her door. Both ignored it.

"I looked out for the best references, but it was only when I saw her, that I knew it was her."

It knocked again. Mr Williams and Charles eyes still locked. Then the housekeeper started to rise from her chair. Charles got up too and offered his arm to help. Noticing that something was different - that something was missing.

"Come in!" Mrs Williams said and before the door opened she said, "She will be the best part of you in unsteady moments. And believe me, Charles...those will come ... someday"

Charles felt like having a deja vu. But this time it wasn't him standing in the doorframe... now it was this petit figure with black hair and deep blue eyes he loved to watch so much standing in front of them. Her hair pinned up nicely and wearing a black dress with a high neck, she stood there, her hands folded in front of her. On the side of her hips a shining item catching Charles attention. Mrs Williams' chatelaine.

Staring at her he heard Mrs Williams voice from far away, "Mr Carson. This is Mrs Hughes. From today on... the housekeeper of Downton Abbey."


End file.
